Spicy Mediterranean Calamari Appetizer

Ingredients

1/2 lb calamari, cleaned and sliced into circles 1/4 tsp sea salt 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Spicy Mediterranean Sauce 1 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil 1 Tbsp minced garlic 1/2 tsp red chili flakes 2 med tomatoes, diced 1/4 cup chopped kalamata olives 2 Tbsp raisins 1/2 tsp sea salt 1/2 cup diced fresh orange segments 3 Tbsp chopped fresh basil 1 Tbsp chopped fresh mint 1/2 tsp lemon zest 2 tsp fresh lemon juice

Instructions

1. Drain calamari in a perforated pan or cheesecloth. Pat dry and season with salt and pepper.

2. Heat a large sauté pan over medium-high heat until pan is very hot, but not smoking. Add calamari and cook for 2 minutes. Remove from pan and set aside.

3. Lower heat to medium. Sauté garlic in olive oil until garlic is caramelized. Add remaining ingredients and stir until well combined. Return calamari to pan and remove from heat.

Tip: When purchasing calamari, the highest quality and best tasting is caught in the Northeastern United States. When cooking, it stays most tender when you cook it very briefly at high heat.